Niu Zou La Mian Review: $5 Halal Handmade La Mian With Braised Beef At Ubi

A man from a distant land tugging tirelessly on his la mian dough at Niu Zou La Mian . Chef-owner, Ma Jun, left his hometown in Gan Su , China, in search of a better livelihood when his father passed away last year.

It felt liberating for him to break away from the social stigma and state monitoring of his province. Pulling la mian was something familiar to him, as he had been doing this since he was a boy. It was just the most natural thing for him to do. $5 Halal Handmade La Mian With Braised Beef At Ubi Food at Niu Zou La Mian In traditional fashion, Ma Jun pulls the la mian by hand.

Its twists and turns align the gluten in the dough so that the noodles get a chewy texture. “It was like magic,” my dining companion commented, awestruck by how Ma Jun was able to gracefully pull the noodles from a single block of dough. Lan Zhou Beef Ramen ($5) surprised me with a massive amount of noodles. It reminded me of my time back in Beijing, where food vendors were generous with carbs.

The la mian was decorated with a few slices of braised beef and chopped scallions, and finished with a generous dose of chilli oil. Chunks of beef brisket were then strewn in together with ladles of the aforementioned stock to create a rich marinade, simmering in low heat to render beef fat and cartilage.

The result was a tender slice of brisket that melts in the mouth. It’s like the mixing of large and small pearls in Tiger Sugar’s bubble tea. The cumin provided a very Middle Eastern kick that reflected the spice trade history of Ma Jun’s province.

When I ordered the Dry Noodles with Braised Beef ($8) , Ma Jun gave me an approving nod. The stir-fried vegetables gave an intense sweetness that lingered in my mouth, making the dish feel fresh despite its jarring oiliness.

I suppose he used the same beef brisket found in the Lan Zhou Beef ramen. It in addition had a stronger beefiness as compared to the soupy la mian, a result of the quick sear brought about by stir-frying beef.

Ambience at Niu Zou La Mian Food Point was hands down one of the stuffiest and run-down food courts I’ve been to. It was a visual testament to Singapore’s endless pursuit of co-existence — the very reason Ma Jun came here in the first place.

The verdict It was a joy learning more about la mian from Ma Jun. On the ride back to my office, I realised that I had unknowingly developed a reverence. Admiration for Ma Jun: reverence for his perseverance through hardship, and admiration as, heck, how does he make such a good bowl of la mian?